Patent application title: Parts container with adjustable rack

Abstract:

A parts container having adjustable racks that are adjustable in both a
vertical and horizontal direction.

Claims:

1. A parts container having adjustable racks, said container comprising:a
base, said base being essentially rectangular and comprised of
intersecting and fixedly attached to each other, beam members, said base
having support legs attached at each corner of the rectangle to support
the parts container;two side walls; each of the side walls being
essentially square in configuration and each having a top and a bottom,
said side walls having a top rail, a bottom rail, a front post and a back
post, the top rail being attached near the top of the front post and the
back post, the bottom rail being attached near the bottom of the front
post and the back post;the two side walls being connected together at the
respective back posts by a support ladder, wherein the respective ends of
the top rail are connected to each of the back posts near the top and the
respective ends of the bottom rail are connected to each of the back
posts near the bottom thereof;the support ladder having a top rail and a
bottom rail and at least three vertical support posts each said vertical
support having a top end, a bottom end, and oppositely opposed side
walls;there being two slider bars;there being a slider bar mount attached
near the top end and the bottom end of each of the oppositely opposed
side walls of each of the support posts, wherein the slider bars are
mounted in and supported by said slider bar mounts such that the slider
bars are essentially suspended between the top rail and the bottom rail
of the support ladder;at least two support and adjustment posts having a
front surface and slidably mounted on and essentially between, the top
and bottom slider bars, said support and adjustment posts having a
plurality of horizontal slots mounted on the front thereof;there being an
adjustable arm mounted on each support and adjustment post, each
adjustable arm comprised of a mounting bracket having a back wall, one
side wall, and a front wall, said front wall having an internal surface
and mounted on the internal surface, at least two mounting pins that are
insertable into the horizontal slots of the support and adjustment
post;an arm rail attached essentially horizontally to the front wall of
the mounting bracket.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top of the base is
covered by flat panels.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the flat panels are wood.

4. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the flat panels are metal.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4 wherein the flat panels are steel.

6. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the panel is a metal mesh
screen.

7. An adjustable rack for a parts container, said adjustable rack
comprised of a support ladder having a top rail and a bottom rail and at
least three vertical support posts; each said vertical support having a
top end, a bottom end, and oppositely opposed side walls, there being a
slider bar mount attached near the top end and the bottom end of each of
the oppositely opposed side walls of each of the support posts, wherein
slider bars are mounted in and supported by said slider bar mounts such
that the slider bars are essentially suspended between the top rail and
the bottom rail of the support ladder;at least two support and adjustment
posts having a front surface and slidably mounted on and essentially
between the top and bottom slider bars, said support and adjustment posts
having a plurality of horizontal slots mounted on the front surface
thereof;there being an adjustable arm mounted on each support and
adjustment post, each adjustable arm comprised of a mounting bracket
having a back wall, one side wall, and a front wall, said front wall
having an internal surface and mounted on the internal surface, at least
two locking pins that are insertable into the horizontal slots of the
support and adjustment post;an arm rail attached essentially horizontally
to the front wall of the mounting bracket.

Description:

[0002]The present invention deals with a device that is capable of holding
automotive parts for shipment from one location to another. Primarily, it
is constructed to hold various automotive components that are shipped
from the manufacturer to the automobile company for assembly. The
internal structure of the rack is adjustable allowing for a multitude of
parts holding configurations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003]Parts racks or dunnage racks are not new to the art. The main
obstacle to the continual use of the prior art racks is the parts that
they are intended to carry change over time with each model changeover
year creating a situation where new racks must be designed to carry the
new model parts. The universal applicability of the adjustable rack of
this invention makes it a true innovation in the art of dunnage racks.

THE INVENTION

[0004]Thus, what is disclosed and claimed herein is a parts container
having adjustable racks. The container comprises a base, wherein the base
is rectangular and comprised of intersecting and fixedly attached to each
other, beam members, the base having support legs attached at each corner
of the rectangle to support the parts container.

[0005]There are two side walls, each of the side walls being essentially
square in configuration and each having a top and a bottom. The side
walls have a top rail, a bottom rail, a front post and a back post, the
top rail being attached near the top of the front post and the back post,
the bottom rail being attached near the bottom of the front post and the
back post.

[0006]The two side walls are connected together at the respective back
posts by a support ladder, wherein the respective ends of the top rail
are connected to each of the back posts near the top and the respective
ends of the bottom rail are connected to each of the back posts near the
bottom.

[0007]The support ladder has a top rail and a bottom rail and at least
three vertical support posts each said vertical support having a top end,
a bottom end, and oppositely opposed side walls.

[0008]There is a slider bar mount attached near the top end and the bottom
end of each of the oppositely opposed side walls of each of the support
posts, wherein the slider bars are mounted in and supported by said
slider bar mounts such that the slider bars are suspended between the top
rail and the bottom rail of the support ladder.

[0009]There are at least two support and adjustment posts having a front
surface and slidably mounted on and located essentially between the top
and bottom slider bars. The support and adjustment posts have a plurality
of horizontal slots mounted on the front.

[0010]There is an adjustable arm mounted on each support and adjustment
post, each adjustable arm comprised of a mounting bracket having a back
wall, one side wall, and a front wall, said front wall having an internal
surface and mounted on the internal surface, there are at least two
mounting pins that are insertable into the horizontal slots of the
support and adjustment post. There is an arm rail attached essentially
horizontally to the front wall of the mounting bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a fully assembled container of
this invention.

[0022]FIG. 11 is another embodiment of an adjustable arm of this invention
showing an outrigger assembly.

[0023]FIG. 12 is a view in perspective of a portion of the adjustable arm
showing the locking pins on the mounting end of the arm.

[0024]FIG. 13 is view in perspective of the lower half of a container of
this invention showing the bottom stops of this invention and the slide
channel for adjusting such stops.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025]Turning now to FIG. 1, which is a full view in perspective of a
fully assembled container of this invention showing the adjustable rack
2.

[0026]Regarding FIG. 1, the container 1 is configured as a cage-like
structure and is fabricated from metal such as steel, iron, or aluminum,
and in some cases, some of the parts are manufactured from plastic.

[0027]Typically, this container and pertinent parts are manufactured from
round or tubular rails or piping and thus, the containers, with
adjustable racks installed, weigh several hundred pounds.

[0028]The container 1 is configured from a base designated as 3 and two
side walls, 4 and these components are welded together or bolted together
to make them rigid. A combination of both forms of attachment can be
used.

[0029]As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 3 is formed of a series of
interconnecting and welded beams or rails 5 such that the base 3 will
remain dimensionally stable and support a load of component car parts.
Typically the beam rails have dimensions of from 2 to 4 inches and are
either round or square. Square rails are preferred.

[0030]As shown in the Figures herein, the base 3 is rectangular in
configuration, however, it can also be square in configuration and the
definition of "rectangular` herein for purposes of this invention
including both rectangular and square.

[0031]The side wall 4, and hence the base 3 has support legs 6 at each of
the corners 7 of the side wall 4 to support the container 1 and
essentially keep the bottom of the base 3 from sitting on the ground.
This is so that one can lift the container 1 with a fork lift. It should
be noted that the legs 6 can be part of the posts of the side wall or the
legs 6 can be a separate component that is fitted to the bottom of the
posts.

[0032]In addition, there can be fitted to the bottom rail 11 of the side
wall 4 a skid member 36 (see FIGS. 4 and 1) that can be used to skid the
container 1. In addition, it lends support to the bottom rail 11 when the
container 1 is lifted by a fork lift.

[0033]As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the side walls 4 are essentially
identical in structure and are essentially square with a top 8 and a
bottom 9. As with the rectangular configuration of the base, "square"
herein also includes rectangular.

[0034]There is a top rail 10 and a bottom rail 11 that form the side wall
4. In addition, the rails 10 and 11 are supported on each end by a front
post 12 and a back post 13. FIG. 3B is a full end view of the side wall 4
showing essentially only the back post 13

[0035]The two side walls are connected together at the back post 13 by a
support ladder 14. The support ladder 14 (FIG. 7) is comprised of a top
rail 15 and a bottom rail 16 and at least three vertical support posts
17.

[0036]The support ladder 14 is supported on its top rail ends 18 by
welding the ends 18 of each the top rails 15 to the top rail 10 of the
side wall 4 and the ends 19 of the bottom rail 16 to each of the bottom
rails 11 of the side walls 4.

[0037]Typically the support ladder 14 supports three vertical support
posts 17, but it is within the scope of this invention to have more than
three vertical supports 17.

[0038]Each of the vertical support posts 17 have a top 20 and a bottom 21
and two oppositely opposed side walls 22 (in FIG. 7, only one side wall
22 is shown for each vertical post 17). Near the top 20 and the bottom 21
of each of the vertical support posts, there is mounted a slider bar
mount 23 as shown in FIG. 7.

[0039]Each of the slider bar mounts has an opening 24 in the middle
thereof. As shown, the openings 24 are diamond shaped (a square opening
tipped up on one point of the square) to accommodate an end of a slider
bar 25 as shown in FIG. 7. Note that the slider bar 25 is shown in FIG. 7
as a square tubular bar that is fastened in the clamp 27 such that one
edge of the square tubular bar is pointed vertically. This way, the angle
iron clamp 27 described infra will accommodate and fit the side edge of
the square tubular bar.

[0040]The slider bars 25 are attached to an adjustable arm support post 26
with a detachable mechanism, and as shown, but not necessarily limiting
is the use of an angle iron clamp 27 that fits over the slider bar 25
such that one edge 28 of the slider bar 25 fits into the connecting point
29 of the two legs 30 and 31 of the angle iron clamp 27.

[0041]The angle iron clamp 27 is then affixed with U-bolts 32 (FIG. 6, but
not FIG. 8 for clarity) and fasteners, such as threaded nuts 33, and then
tightened down to clamp the adjustable arm support post 26 (FIG. 5) to
the slider bar 25 which prohibits the adjustable arm support post 26 from
moving along the slider bar 25.

[0042]However, when it is desired to adjust the distance between the
adjustable arm support posts 26 to accommodate certain automotive
components to be carried by the container 1, then the U-bolts 32 are
loosened and the adjustment is made, and the U-bolts 32 are then
re-tightened.

[0043]It should be noted that the top rail 15 and the bottom rail 16 of
the support ladder 14 are not tied into the side walls 4 at the back
posts 13 of the side wall 4, but are set forward a few inches on the top
rails 10.

[0044]As can be noted from FIGS. 5 and 8, the front surface of the
adjustable arm support posts 26 have mounted thereon a series of
horizontal slots 34 that will be described infra with regard to the
discussion regarding the adjustable arm 35.

[0045]Turning now to the adjustable arm 35 of this invention, and with
reference to FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12, there is at least one of such arms
35 mounted on the support and adjustment post 26 (see FIG. 1).

[0046]One embodiment of the adjustable arm is shown in FIG. 9 which is a
view in perspective of an arm 35 without an outrigger assembly 42.

[0047]The adjustable arms 35 are comprised of a mounting bracket 36 (see
FIG. 9) on one end of the arm 35 and this bracket 36 has a back wall 37,
one side wall 38 and a front wall 39 and these three walls are integrally
formed. A second wall of the bracket does not exist as this is the entry
point for the mounting bracket 36 to be laid over the adjustable arm
support post 26. The front wall 39, the wall with the arm 35 attached
thereto, has an internal surface 40 on which are mounted at least two
locking pins 41 (see FIG. 12).

[0050]Mounted fixedly to the front surface 43 of the front wall 39 is the
arm rail 44. The top 45 of the arm rail 44 is configured to fit various
parts that will be transferred on the rail 44. Preferably, the outer most
end 46 of the arm rail 44 is tilted upwardly just slightly to prevent the
transferred components from sliding forward on the rail. This is what is
meant by "essentially" with regard to horizontal attachment of the arm
rail 44 to the front surface of the mounting bracket 36. The tops 45 are
configured to accommodate the line of the various components so that the
arm rail 44 does not scratch bend or cut the edges of the components.

[0051]Because of the plurality of the horizontal slots 34 and because
these slots 34 are vertically aligned, they provide the vertical
adjustability of the adjustable arm rail 35. Thus, the adjustable arm can
be adjusted vertically and horizontally to provide for a wide variety of
automotive parts allowing the container 1 to be universally used.

[0052]FIG. 11 is another embodiment of this invention in which there is
added to the arm rail 44, an outrigger assembly 42 which is designed to
accommodate certain automotive components that will not transfer smoothly
on the regular arm 44 of the adjustable arm 35 of FIG. 9.

[0053]Occasionally, the container 1 of this invention has to be modified
with bottom stops 47 shown in FIG. 13 which is the bottom half of a
container 21. The bottom stops 47 are adjustable from front to back to
front in a channeled slot 48.

[0054]It is contemplated within the scope of this invention to provide
struts and braces in the container 1 to ensure stability and rigidity of
the structure.

[0055]It is also contemplated within the scope of this invention to
provide flat panels as a floor on top of the base 3 of the container 1.
It is further contemplated within the scope of this invention to provide
a metal mesh floor 49 as shown in one section of the base in FIG. 2.

[0056]It is still contemplated within the scope of this invention to coat
or paint the container and adjustable rack to protect them from the
elements.

[0057]It is yet another embodiment of this invention to color code the
various containers or portions of the containers to accommodate various
component identification or to identify the ultimate end user of the
contents of the container.